Coronary heart disease is one of the leading causes of death in the United States. The relationship between elevated plasma cholesterol levels, especially plasma low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and an increased risk of contracting coronary heart disease has been well established. In light of this relationship, a dietary cholesterol intake of less than 300 mg/day has been recommended for all Americans (National Institutes of Health Consensus Development Panel, 1985). Foodstuffs containing lowered levels of cholesterol are therefore desired.
Each chicken egg contains about 215 mg cholesterol. Efforts at reducing the level of cholesterol in intact chicken eggs have included genetic selection, use of low fat and high fiber diets, administration of pharmacological agents and various egg selection methods. Many of these methods are tedious and others have not led to large decreases in egg cholesterol. An animal food composition effective in reducing the amount of cholesterol in an egg and a method of producing low cholesterol eggs are therefore needed. The present invention addresses these needs.